U.S. patent number 4,601,163 [Application Number 06/680,787] was granted by the patent office on 1986-07-22 for garden tool.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Black & Decker Inc.. Invention is credited to Alan Trelford.
United States Patent |
4,601,163 |
Trelford |
July 22, 1986 |
Garden tool
Abstract
A motor driven lawn scarifier or cutter has a body which houses
the motor and the scarifying/cutter assembly and also wheel or
roller mountings. With a view to simplifying manufacture and
assembly of the tool and eliminating corrosion problems, the body
is moulded in one piece from plastics material and is shaped to
provide a chamber (34) for the motor (50) and a forward chamber for
the scarifying/cutter assembly (4). A roller (6A), located in a
rearward chamber in the body, is mounted in openings (23) in the
sides of the body and wheels (5) are mounted in openings (24) at
the front of the body. A cover (8) which is also moulded in one
piece from plastics material closes the motor chamber (34).
Inventors: |
Trelford; Alan (Fleet,
GB2) |
Assignee: |
Black & Decker Inc.
(Newark, DE)
|
Family
ID: |
10559456 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/680,787 |
Filed: |
December 12, 1984 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Apr 10, 1984 [GB] |
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8409220 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
56/16.7; 56/362;
56/364 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01B
45/00 (20130101); A01B 45/026 (20130101); A01D
34/81 (20130101); A01D 2101/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A01B
45/00 (20060101); A01B 45/02 (20060101); A01D
34/63 (20060101); A01D 34/81 (20060101); A01D
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;56/320.1,320.2,341,16.7,362,17.5,17.4,364 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2519842 |
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Nov 1976 |
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DE |
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2024591 |
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Jan 1980 |
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GB |
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2083733 |
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Mar 1982 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Mancene; Gene
Assistant Examiner: Weiss; John G.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sherer; Ronald B. Murphy; Edward D.
Weinstein; Harold
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A garden tool, comprising:
a body molded in one piece from plastics material, the body having
two sides, a front part, a middle part, and a rear part;
an electric motor received in a motor chamber defined in said
middle part;
a ground engaging assembly rotatably mounted in said front
part;
rear means, rotatably mounted in said rear part, for supporting
said body;
front means, rotatably mounted on said front part, for supporting
said body;
said front part having a curved back wall which is upwardly
forwardly inclined, and an upright wall spaced forwardly of said
curved wall, said curved wall and said upright wall defining a
space therebetween in which said ground engaging assembly is
disposed;
said middle part having a bottom wall from which upwardly extend
said curved wall and a rear wall spaced rearwardly thereof to
define said motor chamber which is upwardly open;
said curved wall and said rear wall being connected by said
sides;
a cover fitted over the top of the motor chamber thereby closing
the latter, said cover having two downwardly depending side
sections extending outside said sides;
said rear part having a top wall and an open bottom;
a socket extending downwardly from the top wall of said rear part
and being connected to said rear wall;
a handle having a portion engaged in said socket;
said motor having one end engaged in an opening in one of said
sides;
a gear box connected between said one end of said motor and said
ground engaging assembly and being located in an enclosed space
defined between said one of said sides and one of said side
sections of said cover;
air openings in said side sections of said cover; and
an air opening in the other of said sides communicating with said
motor compartment.
2. The garden tool of claim 1, further comprising an internal wall
extending across said motor compartment between said curved and
rear walls, said internal wall having an arcuate top upon which
said motor rests.
3. The garden tool of claim 2, wherein said air opening in said
other side is provided with an air filter.
4. The garden tool of claim 1, wherein said front means comprises a
pair of wheels mounted one on each side of said front part, and
said rear part has a cutaway back wall to accommodate said rear
means.
5. The garden tool of claim 1, wherein other than said bottom wall
of said middle part, the bottom of said molded body is open.
6. The garden tool of claim 1, wherein said ground engaging
assembly comprises a tine assembly.
7. A garden tool, comprising:
a body molded in one piece from plastics material and having side
walls extending in a lengthwise direction of the garden tool;
said body having front, middle, and rear compartments with a curved
transverse wall separating said front and middle compartments and a
rear transverse wall separating said middle and rear compartments,
said transverse walls extending between said side walls;
said front compartment having a front wall and being open top and
bottom;
a ground engaging assembly rotatably mounted in said front
compartment with a rotational axis thereof parallel to said
transverse walls;
said middle compartment being defined between said transverse
walls, being closed underneath by a bottom wall extending between
said transverse walls, and having an open top;
an internal wall extending between said transverse walls, having a
curved top, and being spaced between said side walls;
an electric motor mounted in said middle compartment and being
supported on said curved top with one end of said motor engaging in
an opening in one of said side walls;
a gearbox drivingly connecting said motor to said ground engaging
assembly and being located outside said one of said side walls;
said rear compartment having a top wall and an open bottom;
a handle connected to said body and extending upwardly and
rearwardly therefrom;
a cover extending over and closing said open top of said middle
compartment, said cover having a downwardly depending side wall
enclosing said gear box in a space between said cover side wall and
said one side wall of said body; and
means for drawing air into said middle compartment and for
discharging air therefrom.
8. The garden tool of claim 7, wherein:
said cover has a second downwardly depending side wall extending
over the other of said body side walls;
said second cover side wall has air vents therethrough
communicating with an air filter disposed across an opening in said
other body side wall; and
said means comprises a fan of said motor, said fan drawing air in
through said air vents and said filter and discharging the air into
said space in which said gearbox is enclosed, the air exiting from
said space through further air vents in said cover.
9. The garden tool of claim 7, further comprising:
a pair of front wheels rotatably mounted on said body outside said
front compartment;
a roller rotatably mounted inside said rear compartment, a rear
wall of said rear compartment being cut away to accommodate said
roller; and
a socket in said body extending from said top wall of said rear
compartment downwardly to said transverse wall between said rear
and middle compartments, said handle being engaged in said
socket.
10. The garden tool of claim 7, wherein said ground engaging
assembly comprises a tine assembly.
11. The garden tool of claim 7, wherein said body has an open
bottom except for said bottom wall of said middle compartment; and
said motor and said gearbox jointly form a sub-assembly having an
output shaft parallel to an armature shaft of the motor, the motor
and the output shaft extending from one side of said
sub-assembly.
12. A garden tool, comprising:
a body molded in one piece from plastics material and having two
side walls extending in a lengthwise direction of the garden
tool;
said body having front, middle, and rear compartments with a curved
transverse wall separating said front and middle compartments and a
rear transverse wall separating said middle and rear compartments,
said transverse walls extending between said side walls;
said front compartment having a transverse member spaced forwardly
of said curved transverse wall and extending between said side
walls, said front compartment being open top and bottom;
a ground engaging assembly rotatably mounted in said front
compartment with a rotational axis thereof parallel to said curved
transverse wall;
wheels rotatably mounted at the front of said body for supporting
said garden tool;
said middle compartment having an open top and being closed at the
bottom by a bottom wall extending between and integral with bottom
portions of said transverse walls;
an electric motor supported in said middle compartment with one end
of said motor engaged in a motor opening in one of said side walls,
said motor having a fan for circulating air;
a filter opening in the other of said side walls, said filter
opening being provided with an air filter;
a cover fitted over the top of said middle compartment thereby
enclosing said motor in said middle compartment;
said cover having two depending side sections extending downwardly
outside said side walls, said side sections having air vents
therein;
a gearbox drivingly connecting said motor to said ground engaging
assembly and being located outside said one side wall, said gearbox
being enclosed in a space defined between said one side wall and
one of said side sections of said cover;
said gearbox comprising a plurality of gears enclosed in a gearbox
housing, one end of said bearbox housing being connected to said
one end of said motor, and another end of said gearbox housing
having an output drive shaft extending therefrom into said front
compartment;
said rear compartment having an upper wall integrally connected to
said side walls, and an open bottom, said upper wall extending
downwardly and rearwardly from a top portion of said rear
transverse wall;
rear support means, associated with said rear compartment and
rotatably mounted to said body, for supporting said garden tool in
conjunction with said wheels;
a socket formed in said body and extending upwardly and rearwardly
from said rear transverse wall through said upper wall of said rear
compartment, said socket being integral with said rear transverse
wall and said upper wall;
a handle engaged in said socket and extending upwardly and
rearwardly from said body; and
said air vents, said air filter, said middle compartment and said
space in which said gearbox is enclosed defining a path for air
circulated through said motor by said fan, said path extending
between said air vents.
13. The garden tool of claim 12, wherein:
said rear support means comprises a roller mounted inside said rear
compartment;
said rear compartment has a back wall extending transversely
between said side walls and extending downwardly from said upper
wall, said back wall being cut away to accommodate said roller;
said middle compartment has a partition extending between said
curved and rear transverse walls at a location spaced between said
side walls, said partition having an arcuate top on which said
motor rests;
said socket is disposed intermediate said side walls;
said motor and said gearbox jointly form a sub-assembly with said
output shaft parallel to an armature shaft of said motor;
said plurality of gears comprise a first gear on said armature
shaft, second and third gears rotatably mounted on a common
intermediate shaft in said gearbox housing, and a fourth gear
mounted on said output shaft;
said fan is mounted on said armature shaft;
said ground engaging assembly comprises a tine assembly; and
said cover side sections extend to the bottom of said body and
include enlarged box parts in which said vents are located.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a garden tool having a ground engaging
member (for example a tine assembly or a cutter assembly) driven by
a motor. The invention is particularly concerned with scarifying or
raking tools and with grass cutters.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In an existing form of scarifier, the body of the tool is made of a
number of metal parts assembled together. In this way, a strong
body can be obtained and a compartment for a motor, wheel or roller
mountings and other facilities provided on the body without undue
difficulty. Such a construction is, however, expensive and also
liable to corrode.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a garden tool
including a body moulded in one piece from plastics material, the
body defining a chamber for receiving a driving motor, and a
forward chamber for receiving a scarifying, raking or cutter
assembly.
By making the body in one piece from plastics material,
considerable cost savings are achieved and corrosion problems are
eliminated.
Preferably, the chamber for receiving the motor and defined by the
tool body is upwardly open.
A cover may be provided to fit over the top of the motor chamber
thereby closing the chamber. This protects the motor from dirt and
also protects an operator against accidental contact with the
motor. The cover is preferably also moulded in one piece from
plastics material.
A pair of wheels or a roller may be mounted at the front and/or the
back of the body. In one embodiment of the invention, a rear roller
is provided below the top of the body in a rearward chamber defined
in the body.
The wheels or roller may be mounted in openings in the sides of the
body.
A speed reducing gear box may be drivingly connected between the
motor and the scarifying, raking or cutter assembly. The motor and
the speed reducing gear box may together define a sub-assembly. The
gear box of the sub-assembly may be located outside a side of the
body and the motor may project through the side of the body into
the chamber. The gear box may be located in an enclosed space
defined between the side of the body and a side portion of the
cover. The side portion of the cover may include one or more
openings providing an air passageway from the enclosed space to the
exterior of the tool. A further air passageway may be provided from
the exterior of the tool into the chamber.
A handle may be mounted on the body. The handle may be mounted at
the rear of the tool.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention
will become more fully apparent from the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiment, the appended claims and
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
By way of example, a lawn mower scarifier embodying the invention
will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lawn scarifier,
FIG. 2 is a side view of one side of the main body of the
scarifier,
FIG. 3 is a side view of the other side of the main body,
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the main body,
FIG. 5 is an underneath plan view of the main body,
FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the lines VI--VI of FIG. 4,
FIG. 7 is a sectional view along the lines VII--VII of FIG. 4,
FIG. 8 is an underneath plan view, partly in section of a motor and
gear box assembly which is received in the main body,
FIG. 9 is a partly cut away end view of the motor and gear box
assembly, in the direction of the arrow IX in FIG. 8,
FIG. 10 is a plan view of a cover for the main body,
FIG. 11 is a side view of the cover, taken in the direction of the
arrow XI in FIG. 10, and
FIG. 12 is a view, similar to FIG. 1 of the main body of the
scarifier, partly brokenaway and with the cover removed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIG. 1, a lawn scarifier has a body 1, a handle
2, with a control switch (not shown) but operable by a pivoted
lever 3, and a tine assembly 4 rotated in use by a motor and gear
box assembly (not visible in FIG. 1 but shown in FIG. 12). The
scarifier is supported on a pair of front wheels 5 rotatably
mounted on the body 1 and a rear roller 6A (not visible in FIG. 1
but shown in FIG. 12), the height of which may be adjusted by
rotating a pair of knobs 6. An electric cable 13 leads from the
switch 3 down the handle to the body 1 of the tool. The tine
assembly may be as described in British patent application No.
82.36612 (publication No. 2 112 613A) or European patent
application No. 80104985.9 (publication No. 0 024 696).
The body 1 comprises a main body 7 and a cover of inverted
.hoarfrost.-shape and which has a grooved top portion 9 and 10
depending from the top portion and extending down to the bottom of
the body 1. Each of the sides 10 includes an enlarged box part 11
having air vents 12 providing an air passage between the interior
of the body 1 and the outside atmosphere.
The main body 7 and the cover 8 are each moulded in one piece from
plastics material. The shape of the main body 7 will now be
described in further detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 and that
of the cover 8 with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.
The main body 7 has a front 60, a back 30, similar but not
identical sides 14, 15 (the side 14 being shown in FIG. 2 and the
side 15 in FIG. 3), and a top which can be divided into three
parts: a rear part 16, an upwardly-open central part 17 and a front
part 18. The front and central parts are shallowly inclined towards
the front of the scarifier while the rear part is more steeply
inclined towards the rear of the scarifier. The bottom of the body
7 is open (this being the route by which the main core of the mould
is inserted and withdrawn), while the other sides of the body are
in general solid, apart from the front part 18 of the top which has
an opening in which the tine assembly 4 is mounted and the back 30
which is cut away along much of its length to accommodate the
roller.
Each of the sides 14, 15 has a substantially circular opening 23
towards the rear in which a respective one of the height adjustment
knobs 6 for the rear roller is mounted. As can be seen from FIG. 5,
a respective interior side wall 24 is provided parallel to each of
the sides 14, 15 at the rear of the main body and each interior
wall has an opening 23A (FIG. 6) aligned with the openings 23 and
providing a second mounting of the knob 6. The details of the
height adjustable rear roller mounting are not relevant to the
present invention and will not be described further. The mounting
is described in pending British Patent Application No. 84.24499
(publication No. 2147185A).
Towards the front of each side 14, 15 a respective circular opening
24 surrounded by an outstanding boss 25 is provided to receive a
respective stub axle for a respective one of the wheels 5.
On each of the sides 14, 15 there are two further generally
circular openings which are coaxial with one another. On the side
14, there is an opening 26 which is located below the central part
17 of the top of the main body and there is an opening 27 coaxial
with the tine assembly 4. An air filter 26A (in FIG. 12) is mounted
in the opening 26 and a bearing (not shown) for the tine assembly
is releasably mounted in the opening 27. The details of the bearing
mounting are not relevant to the present invention and will not be
described further.
On the side 15, there is a circular opening 28 coaxial with the
opening 26 in which a part of the motor and gear box assembly shown
in FIG. 9 is received as will be described in more detail later,
and there is a circular opening 29 coaxial with the opening 27
through which the output drive shaft of the motor and gear box
assembly passes from the exterior to the interior of the main body
7, as will be described below.
In the centre of the inclined rear part 16 a generally rectangular
projecting housing 20 is provided with a central tubular portion 21
in which the handle 2 is mounted. The details of this handle
mounting arrangement are not relevant to the present invention and
will not be described further. Immediately below the housing 20 is
a slightly recessed panel 22 on which the manufacturer's label or
nameplate may be fixed.
Adjacent to the housing 20 at the top of the rear part 16, a groove
32 is formed in the body providing a passageway into a motor
chamber 34 defined by the upwardly open part 17 of the main body
and below the cover 8. The cable 13 from the switch 3 passes
through this passageway and a cable clamp 33 is provided in the
motor chamber 34 where the cable enters the chamber. The motor
chamber 34 extends across substantially the entire width of the
tool and has a rear wall 35 with an upper sloping portion and a
lower upright portion, a bottom wall 36 and a curved front wall 37.
Towards the side 15 a transverse wall 38 with an arcuate top (see
FIGS. 6 and 7) is provided between walls 35 and 37 and at each end
of the wall 38 there are bosses 39 with threaded bores 40.
The curved front wall 37 of the motor chamber 34 also defines the
rearward boundary of the opening at the front of the tool for the
tine assembly 4. The forward boundary of this opening is defined by
a vertical wall 41 depending from the front part 18 of the top of
the main body. On each side of the front part 18, sockets 42 are
provided to receive mounting parts of a collector box (not
shown).
Referring now also to FIGS. 8 and 9, the motor and gear box
assembly generally comprises an electric motor 50, a gear box
housing 51, gears 52 and 53 and an output drive shaft 54. The motor
50 is fixed to the gear box housing 51, which is made in two mating
parts, and includes a lamination stack 54A, a centrifugal fan 55
and end caps 56. The armature shaft of the motor carries a pinion
57 at one end projecting into the gear box housing 51 and the
pinion 57 meshes with teeth 58 formed on a large diameter of the
gear 52 which is mounted on a long shaft in the housing. The gear
52 also has a set of teeth 59 meshing with teeth on the gear 53
which is fixed to the output drive shaft 54 passing out through the
gear box housing 51 parallel to the motor armature shaft.
As shown in FIG. 12, the motor and gear box assembly is mounted on
the main body 7 of the tool with the motor inserted into the motor
chamber 34 through the opening 28 and the output drive shaft 54
passing through the opening 29 in the side 15 and drivingly
connected to the tine assembly 4. The gear box housing 51 is
located outside the side 15 immediately adjacent thereto and the
side 15 is stepped inwardly below a curved boundry wall 61 (FIG. 3)
to accommodate the housing 51. The side 15 is strengthened in the
region of the openings 28 and 29 by circular ribs 62 around the
openings and interconnecting tangential ribs 63. Holes are provided
in lugs 90 on the gear box housing 51 and in corresponding
locations in the side 15 to enable the motor and gear box assembly
to be secured in position.
The motor 50 rests on the arcuate top of the transverse wall 38 in
the motor chamber and the electric cable 13 is connected to the
motor.
When the motor 50 is in position, the cover 8 shown in FIGS. 10 and
11 is secured over the hollow central part 17 of the main body. The
cover 8 locates in grooves 64 provided in the tops of the sides
14,15 and is secured in position by screws secured in holes 65 in
the sides 14,15 and holes 70 in the cover 8.
When a user closes the switch 3, the motor 50 is actuated rotating
the tine assembly 4 via the gears 52,53. The fan 55 draws air in
through the vents 12 of the cover 8 over the side 14, through the
air filter 26A in the side 14 and into the motor chamber 34. Air is
discharged by the fan into the space between the cover 8 and the
side 15 of the body and passes out of the tool through the vents 12
on that side of the cover.
The main body 7 of the scarifier described above, being moulded in
one piece from plastics material, is comparatively simple and
inexpensive to produce, and the use of plastics material results in
a main body 7 which is comparatively lightweight and will not
corrode, so that the scarifier is easy to handle and is also easy
to maintain.
The structure of the main body 7 (in particular, the provision of
the various walls defining the motor chamber and the tine assembly
chamber) ensures that the body is sufficiently robust despite its
lightweight. Moreover, assembly of the scarifier is faciliated
since the structure provides, in a simple manner, a location for
the various components of the scarifier including, in particular, a
compartment 34 in which the motor can be completely enclosed by the
provision of the cover 8 and thereby protected.
* * * * *